Law firm Baker McKenzie is to hire 150 new staff in Belfast, bringing its Northern Ireland workforce total to 450.
A major employer in the legal services sector, Baker McKenzie provides 30 legal and business services from the Belfast office, including finance, corporate support, marketing and IT.
It first opened its offices in Belfast in 2014 and in June 2015 became the first tenant of Belfast Harbour block.
The law firm revealed it will lease out extra space in City Quays 2 close to its existing offices to manage the increase in staff.
Belfast Harbour’s chief executive, Joe O’Neill, said of City Quays 2: “The development has already established itself as the preferred destination for local and international business leaders.
“Baker McKenzie’s decision to expand into City Quays 2 is a clear testament to the quality of the space provided, its location for business and the infrastructure around it.”
A Baker McKenzie spokeswoman said global clients had been impressed with the work carried out in Belfast during visits.
Now carrying out services for most of Baker McKenzie’s 77 offices around the world, she added: “Naturally, as client demand grows for the services our lawyers offer, so does the demand from offices using our services.
“We now regularly service the majority of our 77 offices in all regions.”
Executive director of Baker McKenzie in Belfast, James Richards, said: “Our lawyers and professional staff around the globe have been really impressed at what we have created in Belfast and we have become a major innovation hub for the firm.
“We have introduced a number of initiatives here that are not only benefiting our clients but have a direct impact on our financial performance.
“Having established ourselves in the city almost four years ago, our announcement today underscores our commitment to Belfast and to Northern Ireland.”
The trend for big international firms to move certain services and functions offshore to cut costs began in 2011 with the arrival of Herbert Smith – later Herbert Smith Freehills. This was later followed by Allen & Overy and Baker McKenzie.
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